SAGEDURVASA-Part 4-FINAL PART Dearfriends,
This posting about sage Durvasa is compiled from Googlesearch asking many questions curious to me and posted in my style which isdesired by a few members than as QA posting. This posting is least intended to all knowing andcriticizing and fault finding members. Hope the posting is interesting and informative to many of myfriends. Since the information is lengthy posted in parts. This is 4TH and final part of the posting Gopalakrishnan 16-02-2026 Incidents relatingDurvasa during Dwapara yuga Bhanumathi incident Bhanumati, the daughter of Banu, the erstwhile leader of theYadavas. Bhanumati provoked Durvasa while playing atthe garden of Raivata, and in response, Durvasa cursed her. She, later in life, isabducted by the Danava Nikumbha. However, Durvasa clarified (after beingpacified) that no harm would come to Bhanumati, and that she wouldbe saved go on to marry the Pandava Sahadeva. Draupati incident Draupadi who gave him her clothes when his clothes were onceswept away. Durvasa blessed her by saying that she would neverlack clothes at the time of requirement, and it is due to his blessing that Dushasan wasunable to strip off her clothes in the gambling hall This is in addition tolord Krishna's presence, thus protecting her modesty. Giving boon toDuryodhana Another example of Durvasa's benevolent side is the incidentwhen he granted Duryodhana a boon. During the Pandavas's exile, Durvasa andseveral disciples arrived at Hastinapura. Duryodhana with his maternal uncle Shakuni managed togratify the sage. Durvasa was pleased enoughto grant him a boon.Duryodhana, secretly wanting Durvasa to curse the Pandavas in anger, asked thesage to visit his cousins in the forest after Draupadi had eaten her meal,knowing that the Pandavas would then have nothing to feed him. Durvasa and his disciples visited the Pandavas in theirhermitage in the forest, as per Duryodhana's request. During this period ofexile, the Pandavas would obtain their food by means of the Akshaya Patra,which would become exhausted each day once Draupadi finished her meal. BecauseDraupadi had already eaten by the time Durvasa arrived that day, there was nofood left to serve him and the Pandavas were very anxious as to their fateshould they fail to feed such a venerable sage. While Durvasa and his disciples were away bathing atthe river, Draupadi prayed to Krishna for help Krishna immediatelyappeared before Draupadi, announcing that he was hungry and asked her for food. Draupadi grewexasperated, and said she had prayed to Krishna precisely because she had nofood left to give. Krishna then told her to bring the Akshaya Patra to him. When she did, he partook of the lonegrain of rice and a piece of vegetable that he found stuck to the vessel, andannounced that he was satisfied by the "meal". This satiated the hunger of Durvasa and his disciples, as thesatisfaction of Krishna (An avatar of Vishnu himself) meant the satiation ofthe hunger of all living things. Sage Durvasa and his disciples then quietlyleft after their bath, without returning to thePandavas's hermitage, for they were afraid of facing what they thought would bethe Pandavas's wrath at their impolite behaviour of refusing the food thatwould be served to them. Swaminarayan Hinduism Durvasa cursesNarayana. According to the followers of Swaminarayan Hinduism, Narayanatook birth as the saint Swaminarayan due to a curse by Durvasa. The story goesthat shortly after Krishna's passing; Uddhava proceeded to Badrinath, the abodeof Nara-Narayana. He joined the many divine sages and saints who were therelistening to Nara-Narayana's discourses. As Nara was speaking, Durvasa arrived at the assembly fromMount Kailash, but no one noticed him because they were all so engrossed in thediscourse He waited for one ghadi (24 minutes), for someone to welcomehim with the respect he felt he is entitled to, but still, no one realized that he wasthere. Seeing no one rise to receive him, he took this as an insult,and cursedthe entire assembly, saying that they would all be born as humans and sufferinsults and agony from the wicked. Nara-Narayana's parents, thegod Dharma and goddess Bhakti, pacified Durvasa, who then reduced his curse, sayingthat Narayana himself(represented here as the Supreme Being) would be born as Dharma and Bhakti'sson, and that his birth would relieve them all from the clutches of evil.Proclaiming thus, Durvasa made his way back to Kailasha. Dharma and Bhakti were eventually born as Hariprasad Pande(a.k.a. Dharmadev) and Premvati Pande (a.k.a. Bhaktidevi). Narayana is born astheir son, named Ghanshyam,who is now known as Swaminarayan. The story is limited to SwaminarayanHinduism, and no other Hindu scriptures support the incident. Incidents relating tosage Durvasa in the transition period from Dwapara Yuga to Kali Yuga There are incidents relating to Sage Durvasa in thetransition period from Dwapara Yuga to Kali Yuga. According to scriptures likethe Vishnu Purana and Srimad Bhagavatam, several significant events involvinghis curses occurred during the final years of Lord Krishna's earthly presence,which directly accelerated the end of the Yadava dynasty and the start of KaliYuga. 1. The Curse on theYadava Youth (Annihilation of Yadava Clan) The Incident: Sage Durvasa visited Dwarka, and a group ofYadava youths (including Krishna's son Pradyumna) planned to test hisomniscience. They disguised Pradyumna as a pregnant woman and asked the sage topredict the child's gender. The Curse: Enraged by this mockery, Durvasa cursed them,stating that the "foetus" (which was actuallyan iron club hidden under clothes) would destroy the entire Yadava clan. The Outcome: The club was ground into powder and thrown intothe sea, but one pieceremained. It grew into reeds on the shore. Later,the intoxicated Yadavas fought each other with these reeds, which acted likeswords, resulting in their total annihilation. Could sage Durvasaavoid Mahabharatha war Based on the narratives within the Mahabharata, Sage Durvasa could not have avoidedthe Kurukshetra War because the war was considered destined(predestined) and necessary to establish Dharma (righteousness). While Durvasahad the power to grant immense boons or place terrible curses, the war was driven by overarching karmic forces and the arrogance of Duryodhana,rather than a single event that a sage could alter. Lord Shiva and Sage Durvasa. According to Hindu scriptures, Sage Durvasa is considered apartial avatar (amsha-avatara ) or manifestation of Lord Shiva himself. He wasborn to Sage Atri and his wife Anasuya as a result of Shiva's anger. Here are the specificincidents and stories connecting them: Birth from Shiva'sWrath: The Brahmanda Purana (Chapter 44)narrates that Lord Shiva once engaged in a heated quarrel with Brahma. The resulting rage wasso intense that the Devas fled in fear, and Parvati complained that Shiva had become impossible to livewith. Realizing the disharmony his anger caused, Shiva deposited this intense fieryenergy into the womb of Anasuya, the wife of Sage Atri, resulting in the birthof Durvasa, who is thus known for his irascible nature. The Boon to Anasuya: Another version (found in Vamana Purana and Bhagavata Purana)states that sage Atri and his wife Anasuya performed severe penance to have ason like the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva). Pleased, the deities blessedthem, resulting in three sons: Soma (Brahma's avatar), Dattatreya (Vishnu'savatar), and Durvasa (Shiva's avatar). Lord Vishnu incidentsrelating to Sage Durvasa Yes, Lord Vishnu is related to Sage Durvasa through severalsignificant mythological incidents, primarily centered on Durvasa's role as atester of devotion and an agent of Shiva's power, which often clashed with ortested the devotees of Vishnu. Here are the key incidents relating Lord Vishnu to SageDurvasa: The Episode of KingAmbarisha (Sudarshan Chakra Incident): This is the most direct confrontation. King Ambarisha was astaunch devotee of Vishnu. When Durvasa felt insulted by Ambarisha (who brokehis fast with water while waiting for the sage), he created a demon to kill theking. Lord Vishnu intervened by sending his Sudarshan Chakra to protect hisdevotee, which destroyed the demon and pursued Durvasa across the universe.When Durvasa took refuge with Brahma and Shiva, they both directed him back toVishnu, stating they could not stop the weapon. Ultimately, Durvasa had tosurrender to Vishnu, who told him to beg forgiveness from Ambarisha, statingthat he (Vishnu) is bound by his devotees. The Cursing of LordKrishna (Rukmini Incident): According to Puraniclegends, after Lord Krishna (an avatar of Vishnu) married Rukmini, they invitedSage Durvasa to Dwarka. Durvasa agreed to visit but demanded that Krishna and Rukmini drag hischariot, rather than horses. While dragging the chariot, a thirsty Rukminidrank water without Durvasa’s permission, which enraged him. He cursed her to be separated from Krishna for 12 years. To freeherself, she performed austerity dedicated to Lord Vishnu. IncarnationConnection: Sage Durvasa is considered a partial avatar of Shiva (bornfrom his anger deposited into Anasuya), while his brother, Dattatreya, is considered anincarnation of Vishnu. Why Durvasa was not a Bramashri or Rajarshi In Hindu mythology, Durvasa is primarily categorized as a Maharishi (Great Sage)and an incarnation of Lord Shiva's anger. He was not a Rajarshi, and while he possessed immense spiritual power, he is distinct from theclass of Brahmarishis for several reasons: Why he was not aRajarshi A Rajarshi (Royal Sage) is a king who attains the status of arishi through penance, such as Vishwamitra (in his early stages) or Janaka. Birth: Durvasa was born into a priestly/ascetic family as theson of Sage Atri and Anasuya. Status: Since he was never a king or from the Kshatriya(warrior) caste, he did not qualify for the title of Rajarshi. The Distinction fromBrahmarishi While some sources occasionally use titles loosely, a Brahmarishi is defined as a sage who has completely mastered theirsenses and conquered passions like anger. The "Anger" Factor: Durvasa is the personificationof Lord Shiva's rage.His defining characteristic is his uncontrollable temper and propensity tocurse. Spiritual Hierarchy: According to the classification ofrishis, a Brahmarishi has attained the highest state of Brahmajnana (divineknowledge) and absolute peace. Durvasa’s role was often to "test" theintegrity and patience of others, which required him to remain in an irasciblestate rather than a state of perpetual calm. His UniqueClassification Maharishi: He is widely revered as a Maharishibecause of his immense yogic power and knowledge, which even the godsrespected. Sage Durvasa end While Sage Durvasa appears across multiple Yugas—from theSatyayuga (Churning of the Ocean) to the Tretayuga (Ramayana) and Dwaparayuga(Mahabharata)—he is not officially listed among the Ashta Chiranjeevi (theeight traditional immortals). Lifespan andImmortality Some traditions believe that all great ancient Maharishis arefunctionally immortal or Chiranjeevi because they appear in various timeperiods. Avatar Connection: As a partial incarnation (avatar) of LordShiva's anger, Durvasa possesses a divine nature that allows him to exist aslong as his cosmic purpose is required. Extended Life: In earlier Yugas, the naturallifespan of humans and sages was significantly longer—reaching thousands ofyears—which explains his presence across vast eras. How His Life"Ended" There is no account of a conventional death for SageDurvasa in mainstream scriptures. Instead, traditions describe his departure in two ways: Samadhi: According to local tradition in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh,there is a prominent Durvasa Temple where the sage is said to have taken Samadhi (a meditativestate where a saint consciously leaves their body) within a Shivalinga. Cosmic Return: As an incarnation of Shiva, his earthly form is oftenbelieved to have eventually merged back into Lord Shiva once his role intesting the Dharma of kings and devotees was complete. Despitethese accounts, many believe he still exists in a subtle spiritual form,continuing his penance in the Himalayas or other sacred region. Durvasa sage Ashram The Durvasa Rishi Ashram is situated at the confluence of theTamsa (Tons) and Manjusha (Majhuee) rivers, about 6 km north of Phulpur. The Shivalinga: According to temple priests,Durvasa merged his physical form into a Shivalinga at this site. Interestingly,this Shivalinga is believed to have been established by Lord Rama during theTretayuga. The Transition: While he was visible and active through the Satya, Treta, and Dwapara Yugas,it is believed he became invisible (antardhyan) to the world as soon asKaliyuga began. Wandering sage withthousands of disciples Despite his famously irascible nature, Sage Durvasa hadthousands of disciples—often cited as 10,000—who followed him everywhere. Thisapparent paradox is explained by his immense spiritual standing, his role as adisciplinarian, and the perceived nature of his anger. Why Disciples Followed Him Divine Incarnation: Durvasa is considered an amsha (partialincarnation) of Lord Shiva. Disciples sought him because he possessed profoundwisdom, deep knowledge of the Vedas, and immense spiritual power derived fromrigorous penance (tapas). The Power of Discipline: He maintained strict disciplineamong his followers, teaching them "the real truth" and ensuring theynever wavered from the path of dharma. His harshness was often viewed as a toolfor purification rather than mere emotional outbursts. Rewards for Devotion: While quick to curse, Durvasa wasequally quick to bless those who served him with genuine dedication. Disciplesand hosts alike knew that satisfying him could lead to extraordinary boons,such as the powerful mantras he gave to Kunti. The Life of a Disciple Disciples under Durvasa lived in a state of high awareness.They were known to follow him on his wanderings, keeping strict vows and often subsisting on aminimal diet (such as only eating Durva herbs). Theprimary connection is that the sage Durvasa was known to consume only the durvaherb (also known as Bermuda grass or Cynodon dactylon) during his extensivetravels and penances.There is also a connection through his character, as the meaning of his namediffers from the meaning of the herb's name. Lord Ganesha and DurvaGrass The grass is a significant offering in Hindu rituals,particularly to Lord Ganesha, because a group of sages used it to cool Ganesha down after heswallowed a fire demon named Analasura. The Significance ofOffering Grass to Lord Ganesh In Hindu traditions, the worship of Lord Ganesh holds aspecial place in the hearts of devotees. Known as the remover of obstacles andthe god of beginnings, Ganesh is honoured with various offerings that symbolizedifferent aspects of devotion and reverence. Among these offerings, one of the most unique is thepresentation of grass, specifically Durva grass, to Lord Ganesh.This practice, though simple, carries profound spiritual significance and isdeeply rooted in ancient stories and symbolism. The Story behindOffering Grass to God Ganesha According to the story, a powerful demon named Analasura wreaked havocacross the universe, causing destruction and terror among the gods. In their despair,the gods turned to Lord Ganesh, seeking his help to defeat the fearsome demon.Ganesh, in his benevolent and courageous form, confronted Analasura and swallowed him whole, therebyending his reign of terror. However, the heat and energy from swallowing the fiery demoncaused immense discomfort to Lord Ganesh. The gods and sages, in their concern, tried variousremedies to soothe him, but nothing seemed to work. It was thenthat a group of sages offered Durva grass to Ganesh, which miraculously cooledhim downand relieved his pain.Grateful for this act, Lord Ganesh blessed the grass, declaring that those whooffer it to him with devotion will always receive his blessings. The Symbolism of DurvaGrass Durva grass, also known as Bermuda grass, is not just anygrass; it is considered sacred in Hindu rituals. The offering of this grass toLord Ganesh symbolizes humility, purity, and the power of devotion. The three blades of Durva grassare believed to represent the three gods of the Hindu trinity—Brahma, Vishnu,and Shiva—and the offering is a way to invoke their collectiveblessings through Ganesh. Purification: In Ayurveda and spiritual tradition,durva is known for its cooling and purifying properties. For a sage known forhis "fiery" temper, a diet of cooling grass served as a physical andspiritual balance to his volatile nature. Summary of Worship Durvasa is more traditionally identified as a staunch devoteeof Lord Shiva (of whom he is an avatar) and Goddess Shakti. While he certainlyrespected Ganesha and is featured in legends that established the importance ofthe durva offering, his personal diet was a reflection of his own rigorousyogic discipline. Durvasa- Sakunthala incident- Key Differences Between Versions: The Mahabharata (OriginalEpic): In the originalepic version found in the Adi Parva, there is no mention of Durvasa's curse.In this version, King Dushyanta simply forgets Shakuntala (or pretends to) dueto social pressure and fear of public scandal when she arrives at his court. Kalidasa’s Play: Kalidasa introduced the character ofDurvasa and his curse to make the King appear more sympathetic. In thisversion, the King's memory loss is a direct result of the sage's wrath, and the"ring of recollection" becomes the only way to break the spell. King Bhagiratha bringingGanga to earth The Nature of the Curse: While some traditions suggest acurse forced Ganga to become a river, the primary narrative states she was acelestial river flowing in heaven. The curse stipulated she would take humanform to cleanse humanity of sins. However,to save Sagara's sons, she needed to flow specifically over their ashes in thenetherworld (Pataala), which required a deliberate, physical, and controlleddescent from heaven. A"Bhagiratha" Effort: The 60,000 sons of KingSagara were reduced to ashes by Sage Kapila. The only way to provide salvation (Moksha) was tohave the sacred Ganga touchtheir ashes. This required immense "Bhagiratha Prayatna"(the efforts of Bhagiratha) to persuade the heavenly Ganga to descend and,crucially, to persuade Lord Shiva to break her fall so she would not destroythe earth. The Need for Shiva'sControl: When Gangafinally agreed to come to Earth, she did so with such immense, arrogant forcethat she intended to sweep the Earth into the netherworld. Bhagiratha prayedagain to Lord Shiva to intervene. Shiva caught the torrential river in hismatted locks (Jata) to tame her, and then released her in a controlled manner. Subsequent Obstacles: Even after descending, the river was swallowed by Sage Jahnudue to her destructive force, requiring another prayer from Bhagirathato release her (giving her the name Jahnavi). Summary: The initial curse brought her to the potential ofbeing a earthly river, but Bhagiratha’s, his father’s, and his grandfather’sefforts were required to actually bring her down in a way that the earth couldsurvive, allowing her to reach the exact spot in Pataala to save their ancestors. Significance: The descentis celebrated during Ganga Dussehra. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1640671977.522275.1771225928476%40mail.yahoo.com.
